Ryan quits radio station in 'censorship' row

FORMER Limerick hurling manager Tom Ryan resigned in protest from a local radio station yesterday after an interview with independent European election candidate Kathy Sinnott was pulled.

RLO station owner Ger Madden told Mr Ryan that "under no circumstances" was Kathy Sinnott to appear on his late night current affairs and chat show.

"The programme was pulled without a reason. Ger Madden was in no mood for debate, so I had no option but to resign because it was just outright censorship," Mr Ryan said.

He claimed the reason the interview was pulled was because RLO has its own candidate, Ger Hannon, who is also running as an independent in the European South constituency.

"This is total inconsistency because the Fianna Fáil Euro election candidate Gerry Collins was already on our programme and there was no objection.

"RLO is campaigning for a licence on the grounds that it can give people a voice. But they are now censoring one voice while they allow their own candidate Ger Hannon to broadcast several times a week," said Mr Ryan, who had worked at the station for seven years.

But RLO owner Ger Madden completely rejected the claim that he was censoring Kathy Sinnott.

He said he could not let Mr Ryan conduct the interview with Ms Sinnott because they were both Health Alliance candidates in the last general election.

"I could not let him go ahead with the interview it would be like getting Willie O'Dea to interview the Fianna Fáil candidate Gerry Collins there has to be fair play and impartiality," Mr Madden added.

He insisted that it has nothing to do with RLO having its own candidate in the Euro elections.

"I received several complaints about the interview Mr Ryan conducted with Gerry Collins from listeners who said he would not take their critical questions live on air," Mr Madden said.

The RLO owner claimed Mr Ryan's resignation was just an election stunt to get publicity for Kathy Sinnott.

But Mr Ryan rejected this and said Ms Sinnott was not a Health Alliance candidate in the last general election she stood as an independent campaigning for the rights of the disabled.

"Mr Madden knew for a whole week this interview was planned and when he ordered me not to conduct it he did not say it was because I was a Health Alliance candidate. He has just come up with this today after I went on the radio and resigned," Mr Ryan said.

Responding to the claims that he would not take critical live questions when Gerry Collins was on air, Mr Ryan said: "I did not want people to be interrupting me while I was interviewing Mr Collins but I read out some questions."

Limerick Parents and Friends of the Mentally Handicapped chairman Ger South, who is supporting Ms Sinnott, said he was appalled at the decision to pull the interview.